MONGOLFIER BROTHERS HOT AIR BALOON The brothers, Joseph Michel Montgolfier (26 August 1740 ï¿½ 26 June 1810) and Jacques-ï¿½tienne Montgolfier (6 January 1745 ï¿½ 2 August 1799) were the inventors of the montgolfiï¿½re, globe airostatique or hot air balloon. The brothers succeeded in launching the first manned ascent to carry a young physician and an audicious army officer into the sky. In 1782, while watching a fire in his fireplace, Joseph became interested in the "force" that caused the sparks and smoke to rise. He made a small bag out of silk and lit a fire under the opening at the bottom causing it to rise. The brothers thought the burning created a gas which they called "Montgolfier gas". They didn't realize that their balloons rose because the heated air inside was lighter than the surrounding air. Early years The brothers were born into a family of successful paper manufacturers in Annonay, in the Ardï¿½che, France.

Pierre Montgolfier (1700-1793), the father of sixteen children established his eldest son Raymond (1730-1772) as his successor. As a result, the younger sons were initially sent away to school to learn other professions. Joseph (12th child) possessed a typical inventor's temperament - a maverick and dreamer but impractical in terms of business and personal affairs. ï¿½tienne had a much more even and businesslike temperament than Joseph. As the 15th child he was sent to Paris to train as an architect and met there with Jean-Baptiste Rï¿½veillon. However, after the sudden and unexpected death of Raymond in 1772, he was recalled to Annonay to run the family business. In the subsequent 10 years, ï¿½tienne applied his talent for technical innovation to the family business (papermaking was a high tech industry in the 18th century.) He succeeded in incorporating the latest Dutch innovations of the day into the family mills.

His work led to recognition by the government of France as well as the awarding of a government grant to establish the Montgolfier factory as a model for other French papermakers, but also to the family wealth. Initial experiments Of the two brothers, it was Joseph who first contemplated building "machines". Gillispie puts it as early as 1777 when Joseph observed laundry drying over a fire incidentally form pockets that billowed upwards. Joseph made his first definitive experiments in November of 1782 while living in Avignon. He reported, some years later, that he was watching a fire one evening while contemplating one of the great military issues of the day - an assault on the fortress of Gibraltar , which had proved impregnable by both sea and land. Joseph mused on the possibility of an air assault using troops lifted by the same force that was lifting the embers from the fire. He believed that contained within the smoke was a special gas, called 'Montgolfier Gas', with a special property he called 'levity'.

As a result of these musings, Joseph set about building a box-like chamber 1x1x1,3m (3 ft by 3 ft by 4 ft) out of very thin wood and covering the sides and top with lightweight taffeta cloth. Under the bottom of the box he crumpled and lit some paper. The contraption quickly lifted off its stand and collided with the ceiling. Joseph then recruited his brother to balloon building by writing the prophetic words: "Get in a supply of taffeta and of cordage, quickly, and you will see one of the most astonishing sights in the world." Montgolfier brothers balloon Paris 1983 At that time the Montgolfiers did not fully understand the physical basics of the lift produced by the air. They thought it was the dense smoke that was responsible for the upward lift, so they produced it from damp straw and chopped wool. Very pleased with the results they then constructed a silk globe which they took to the gardens of Brogieux . After paper was set to fire under the mouth of the globe, it rose approximately 20 metres into the air and descended slowly back.

The results of this experiment were handed over to the Science Academy of France, that invited the two brothers to demonstrate their hot air balloon. The launch date was set to June 4th. The whole town had gathered to see the demonstration, but almost everyone was convinced the experiment was bound to fail. How could a balloon with a diameter of 10 meters go up by burning a little bit of straw? Most of the people present considered the whole project merely as a publicity stunt of the paper manufacturers. However, after stirring up the fire the balloon rose to the respectable height of 300 meters. After a flight of 1 kilometre it slowly descended to earth. People were stunned, not understanding the miracle. Since that day onwards June 4th 1783 has official become the birth date of the hot air balloon. The news of the balloon ascent spread like wild-fire and also reached Paris. The two brothers then set about building a contraption 3 times larger in scale (27 times larger in volume). The lifting force was so great that they lost control of their craft on its very first test flight on 14 December 1782. The device floated nearly 2 kilometres (about 1.2 mi).

It was destroyed after landing by what Etienne later called the "indiscretion" of passers by. Public demonstrations Given these initial successes, the brothers decided to make a public demonstration of a balloon in order to establish their claim to its invention. They constructed a globe-shaped balloon of sackcloth with three thin layers of paper inside. The envelope could contain nearly 790 m3 (28,000 cubic feet) of air and weighed 225 kg (500 lb). It was constructed of four pieces (the dome and three lateral bands), and held together by some 1,800 buttons. A reinforcing "fish net" of cord covered the outside of the envelope. Montgolfier brothers balloon postage stamp On 4 June 1783, they flew this craft as their first public demonstration at Annonay in front of a group of dignitaries from the Etats particulars. Its flight covered 2 km (1.2 mi), lasted 10 minutes, and had an estimated altitude of 1.600 - 2.000m (5,200 - 6,600 ft). Word of their success quickly reached Paris.

Etienne went to the capital to make further demonstrations and to solidify the brothers' claim to the invention of flight. Joseph, given his unkempt appearance and shyness, remained with the family. Etienne was the epithome of sober virtues ... modest in clothes and manner... He was dressed stylishly in black. In collaboration with the successful wallpaper manufacturer, Jean-Baptiste Rï¿½veillon, Etienne constructed a 37,500 cubic foot envelope of taffeta coated with a varnish of alum. The balloon was sky blue and with golden flourishes, signs of the zodiac, suns. The design was the influence of Rï¿½veillon, the wallpaper maker. On the 27th of August a hydrogen balloon was launched from the Champs de Mars in Paris by Jacques Charles. Six thousand people paid for a seat. A downpower of rain ended the show. The next test was on the 11th of September from the parc la Folie Titon, close to the house of Rï¿½veillon. There was some concern about the effects of flight into the upper atmosphere on living creatures.

The king proposed to launch two criminals, but it is most likely that the inventors decided to send animals aloft first. On 19 September 1783 the Aerostat Rï¿½veillon (as Etienne referred to it) was flown with the first living beings in a basket attached to the balloon: a sheep, called Montauciel (Climb-to-the-sky), a duck and a rooster. This demonstration was performed before a huge crowd at the royal palace in Versailles, before King Louis XVI of France , Queen Marie Antoinette. The flight lasted approximately 8 minutes, covered 2 miles, and obtained an altitude of about 1500 feet. The flight would have been longer but the craft was unstable. It tipped wildly just after launch which allowed a considerable amount of hot air to spill from the mouth. The animals survived the trip unharmed. ...the sheep was discovered nibbling imperturbably on straw while the cock and the duck cowered in a corner.

Human flight With the successful demonstration at Versailles, and again in collaboration with Rï¿½veillon, Etienne started construction of a 60,000 cubic foot balloon for the purpose of making flights with humans. (Etienne's excursion, albeit tethered was the cause of much paternal consternation as he had promised his father that he would not ride in a balloon himself.) The craft was once again decorated with flourishes and was 75 feet tall and 46 feet in diameter. The balloon was tested in tethered flights later in 1783 on 15 October by Pilï¿½tre de Rozier, a twenty-six-year-old physician, who offered his services. On the 17th the experiment was repeated before a group of scientists and 19 October Rozier and Andrï¿½ Giroud de Villette, a wallpaper manufacturer from Madrid, reached 324 foot within 15 seconds along retaining ropes. On 21 November 1783, the first free flight by humans was made Pilï¿½tre, together with an army officer, the marquis d'Arlandes.

They flew aloft for 25 minutes about 100 metres above Paris for a distance of nine kilometres. The flight began near the Bois de Boulogne in the courtyard of the Chï¿½teau de la Muette in the western outskirts of Paris and landed between the windmills on the Butte-aux-Cailles. Enough fuel remained on board at the end of the flight to have allowed the balloon to fly four to five times as far. However, burning embers from the fire were scorching the balloon fabric and had to be daubed out with sponges. Thus the baloonists decided to land as soon as they were over open countryside. The ascensions made a sensation. Numerous engravings commemorated the events. Chairs were designed with balloon backs, and mantel clocks were produced in enamel and gilt-bronze replicas set with a dial in the balloon. One could buy crockery decorated with naive pictures of balloons. Following launches In 1766, the British scientist Henry Cavendish had discovered hydrogen, by adding sulphuric acid to iron, tin, or zinc shavings.

The development of gas balloons proceeded almost in parallel with the work of the Montgolfiers. This work was led by M. Charles. Work on each type of balloon was spurred on by the knowledge that there was a competing group and alternative technology. For a variety of reasons, including the fact that the French government chose to put a proponent of hydrogen in charge of balloon development, hot air balloons were superseded by hydrogen balloons. Hydrogen balloons became the predominant technology for the next 180 years. Balloons were used for all major ballooning accomplishments such as the crossing of the English Channel on 7 January 1785, by one of the most tireless astronauts Jean-Pierre Blanchard and Dr. John Jeffries, from Boston. Montgolfier brothers balloon flight Paris street scene Competing claims Some claim that the hot air balloon was actually invented some 74 years earlier by the portuguese priest Bartolomeu de Gusmï¿½o. A description of his invention was published in 1709, in Vienna, and another one that was lost was found in the Vatican (circa 1917).

However, this claim is not generally recognized by aviation historians outside the Portuguese speaking community, in particular the FAI. Revival of the hot air balloon Although balloons employing heated air for lift were used from time to time, the modern revival of the hot air balloon began on 22 October 1960 in Bruning, Nebraska on when Ed Yost improved the safety of the classic Montgolfier design by using a plastic envelope and a kerosene fueled heater. Today, hot air balloons that use propane fuel and rip-stop nylon envelopes are by far the predominant method for obtaining buoyant flight. History of Hot Air Balloons - Fly Me to the Moon Fly Me to the Moon You are here: Home / School Project Information / History of Hot Air Balloons History of Hot Air Balloons July 9, 2009 By Administrator The Chinese are recorded as being the first to make use of lighter than air technology with small unmanned hot air ballooons which are know as Kongming Lanterns or sky lanterns.

These were developed around the 3rd century by originally used as military signalling devices but later became a tradition at Chinese festivals.Kongming Lanterns were made from oiled rice paper on a bamboo frame, the heat source used was a small candle made from a waxy, flammable material. Hot Air Balloon History in Dispute The claim for the first use of hot air balloons is hotly disputed. The Nazca Indians of Peru are thought to have used hot air balloons as an aid to creating the famous Nazca Line Drawings which were created in the period 700 B.C. to 200 A.D. An 18th century issue of the newspaper ‘La Gaceta de Mexico‘ noted that in 1667, a citizen of Las Mendarios del Perro, Veracrus broke his leg in a fall following ascent in a strange device with fire. The Portugese claim that a priest, Batholomeu Laurenco de Gasmao demonstrated a small working balloon model on the 3rd August 1709. He was subsequently awarded a Professor of Mathemetics by King John V of Portugal for his efforts.

There are also reports of pre-montgolfier balloons from Russia in 1731. A young military officer Kria Kutnoi is reported to have launched a primitive balloon from Ryazan, about 120 miles south of Moscow. It reputedly flew over a grove of birch trees crashing into the tower of a church in the neighbouring town. The ballon is said to have been made from hides and filled with evil smelling smoke. The Montgolfier Brothers French brothers, Jacques and Joseph Montgolfier were the local paper manufacturers in the town of Alchemy in Southern France. The brothers noticed that when they burnt paper the ashes floated up in to the air. They thought that the heat and smoke from the flame had a special lifting power and they set their minds to inventing a craft that could capture the heat and smoke and lift them off the ground.

It is recorded that on the 4th June 1973 the first large scale balloon flight was launched by the Montgolfier Brothers from Annonay, France.It was reported in a Paris newspaper on the 10th of July as having been witnessed by many people.The report says that the balloon was ‘about 36 feet long and 16 feet high and about as high’, on landing about 7 – 8 minutes after takeoff the ‘globe’ was destroyed by peasant workers who believed it was the moon was falling from the sky. A Sheep, a Duck and a Rooster On the 19th Sept, 1783 the Montgolfier brothers successfully launched their first load carrying hot air balloon balloon made of paper and cloth. To inflate the craft they burned a combination of straw, chopped wool and dried horse manure underneath the balloon. As the straw burned it released heat that helped the balloon float. The wool and manure made lots of smoke and helped keep the burning flame low, which lessened the risk of setting the balloon alight. The brothers were too nervous to try out their invention themselves so they sent a sheep, a duck and a rooster to see what would happen.

The balloon floated up into the sky and landed safely eight minutes later. Once the Montgolfier brothers realised what they had achieved they approached the King of France to see if he would view their invention, with two people on board instead of farm yard animals. King Louis XVI agreed. The First Manned Flight On the 21st November 1783, a hot air balloon was launched in Paris for all to see. On board were two close frinds of the Montgolfier brothers, Pilatre de Rozier and Francious Laurent. The balloon was successfully launched and rose about 500 feet / 150 metres above the rooftops of Paris, after a flight lasting about 25 minutes the flight eventually landing a few miles away in some vineyards. Benjamin Franklin is noted to have been present at the launch and met with the Montgolfier Brothers later in the day to sign a witness report that was submitted to the Academy of Science. The Birth of a Tradition As the hot air balloon landed in the vineyard, local farmers raced towards it with pitchforks, ready to attack this strange object from the skies.

To prevent the balloon being destroyed by the farmers Pilatre and Francious offered them a bottle of fine french champagne, as thanks for allowing them to land in the field. Today, in memory of that first flight it is common to drink champagne after a balloon ride. The Origin of a Word The word ‘pilot’ is derived from ‘Pilatre’, the name of the first person to command an aerial vehicle. Development of the modern hot air balloon Ed Yost is credited with developing the modern, propane burning hot air balloon. His development work was conducted under a US military contract. In October 1955, Ed flew his first prototype of a kerosene powered tethered balloon. This balloon which was made of plastic film had several problems which he worked on until 22nd October when he made his first free flight in a propane powered hot air balloon from Bruning Nebraska USA. This first flight is reported to have lasted for 1 hour 35 minutes. Ed continued to refine his design and in 1963 made the first crossing of the English Channel in a hot air balloon.

The First Balloon Flights in Australia Joseph Dean, a british wire maker by profession made the first balloon ascent in Australia on the 1st February 1858 from Melbourne’s Cremorne Gardens. The flight lasted 44 minutes and landed gently in Collingwood. This flight was followed up two weeks later on the 15th February with a flight by the balloons maker, Charles Brown. It was intended that Brown make the first flight but by a quirk of good luck for Dean the ground staff who were restraining the balloon during inflation allowed the balloon to rise whilst Dean was aboard. These first flights were made in a gas (hydrogen) balloon. The first manned hot air balloon flight was made many years later on the 4th July 1962 from Parkes NSW. The pilot was Terry McCormack, a student from St John’s College of the University of Sydney. McCormack was the founder and first president of Australia’s first balloon Club, the Aerostat Society of Australia. The balloon he flew was built by the society members from Mylar film held together with a fibreglass re-inforced adhesive tape.

It was called Archimedes and had a volume of around 18,000 ft3 / 800 m3. Sadly McCormack was also one of the first people to be killed in a hot air balloon in Australia when in November 1975, the ‘New Endeavour’ was caught in turbulence during an afternoon flight and deflated at low level crashing to the ground killing both McCormack and his passenger. Hot Air Balloon History – History of Hot Air Balloons – Brisbane Hot Air Ballooning – Technical Data content credited to Mr Steve Griffin Montgolfier brothers biography, list of Montgolfier brothers inventions | edubilla.com : Inventor About Inventor Joseph-Michel Montgolfier and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier were the inventors of the Montgolfière-style hot air balloon, globe aérostatique. The brothers succeeded in launching the first manned ascent, carrying Étienne into the sky. Later, in December 1783, in recognition of their achievement, their father Pierre was elevated to the nobility and the hereditary appellation of de Montgolfier by King Louis XVI of France.

Early years The brothers were born into a family of paper manufacturers in Annonay, in Ardèche, France. Their parents were Pierre Montgolfier (1700–1793) and his wife, Anne Duret (1701–1760), who had sixteen children. Pierre established his eldest son, Raymond Montgolfier, later Raymond de Montgolfier (1730–1772), as his successor. Joseph, the 12th child, possessed a typical inventor's temperament—a maverick and dreamer, and impractical in terms of business and personal affairs. Étienne had a much more even and businesslike temperament. As the 15th child, and particularly troublesome to his elder siblings, he was sent to Paris to train as an architect. However, after the sudden and unexpected death of Raymond in 1772, he was recalled to Annonay to run the family business. In the subsequent 10 years, Étienne applied his talent for technical innovation to the family business; paper making was a high-tech industry in the 18th century.

He succeeded in incorporating the latest Dutch innovations of the day into the family mills. His work led to recognition by the government of France as well as the awarding of a government grant to establish the Montgolfier factory as a model for other French paper makers. Early experiments Of the two brothers, it was Joseph who first contemplated building machines as early as 1777 when he observed laundry drying over a fire incidentally form pockets that billowed upwards.Joseph made his first definitive experiments in November 1782 while living in the city of Avignon. He reported some years later that he was watching a fire one evening while contemplating one of the great military issues of the day—an assault on the fortress of Gibraltar, which had proved impregnable from both sea and land.Joseph mused on the possibility of an air assault using troops lifted by the same force that was lifting the embers from the fire. He believed that contained within the smoke was a special gas, which he called Montgolfier Gas, with a special property he called levity.

As a result of these musings, Joseph set about building a box-like chamber 1×1×1.3 m (3 ft by 3 ft (0.91 m) by 4 ft) out of very thin wood, and covering the sides and top with lightweight taffeta cloth. He crumpled and lit some paper under the bottom of the box. The contraption quickly lifted off its stand and collided with the ceiling. Joseph then recruited his brother to balloon building by writing, "Get in a supply of taffeta and of cordage, quickly, and you will see one of the most astonishing sights in the world." The two brothers then set about building a similar device, scaled up by three (so 27 times greater in volume). The lifting force was so great that they lost control of their craft on its very first test flight on 14 December 1782. The device floated nearly two kilometers (about 1.2 mi). It was destroyed after landing by the "indiscretion" of passersby. Public demonstrations The brothers decided to make a public demonstration of a balloon in order to establish their claim to its invention.

They constructed a globe-shaped balloon of sackcloth with three thin layers of paper inside. The envelope could contain nearly 790 m³ (28,000 cubic feet) of air and weighed 225 kg (500 lb). It was constructed of four pieces (the dome and three lateral bands) and held together by 1,800 buttons. A reinforcing fish net of cord covered the outside of the envelope. On 4 June 1783, they flew this craft as their first public demonstration at Annonay in front of a group of dignitaries from the États particuliers. Its flight covered 2 km (1.2 mi), lasted 10 minutes, and had an estimated altitude of 1,600-2,000 m (5,200-6,600 ft). Word of their success quickly reached Paris. Étienne went to the capital to make further demonstrations and to solidify the brothers' claim to the invention of flight. Joseph, given his unkempt appearance and shyness, remained with the family. Étienne was the epitome of sober virtues ... modest in clothes and manner...

In collaboration with the successful wallpaper manufacturer Jean-Baptiste Réveillon, Étienne constructed a 37,500-cubic-foot (1,060 m3) envelope of taffeta coated with a varnish of alum (which has fireproofing properties). The balloon was sky blue and decorated with golden flourishes, signs of the zodiac, and suns. The design showed the intervention of Réveillon. The next test was on the 11th of September from the grounds of la Folie Titon, close to Réveillon's house. There was some concern about the effects of flight into the upper atmosphere on living creatures. The king proposed to launch two criminals, but it is most likely that the inventors decided to send a sheep, a duck, and a rooster aloft first. On the 19th of September 1783, the Aérostat Réveillon was flown with the first living beings in a basket attached to the balloon: a sheep called Montauciel ("Climb-to-the-sky"), a duck and a rooster. The sheep was believed to have a reasonable approximation of human physiology.

The duck was expected to be unharmed by being lifted aloft. It was included as a control for effects created by the aircraft rather than the altitude. The rooster was included as a further control as it was a bird that did not fly at high altitudes. This demonstration was performed before a crowd at the royal palace in Versailles, before King Louis XVI of France and Queen Marie Antoinette. The flight lasted approximately eight minutes, covered two miles (3 km), and obtained an altitude of about 1,500 feet (460 m). The craft landed safely after flying. Montgolfier Brothers - Graces Guide Grace's Guide British Industrial History Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 121,944 pages of information and 183,433 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Montgolfier Brothers Jump to: navigation , search Joseph-Michel Montgolfier (26 August 1740 – 26 June 1810) and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier (6 January 1745 – 2 August 1799) were the inventors of the montgolfière-style hot air balloon, globe aérostatique. The brothers succeeded in launching the first manned ascent, carrying Étienne into the sky. Later, in December 1783, in recognition of their achievement, their father Pierre was elevated to the nobility and the hereditary appellation of de Montgolfier by King Louis XVI of France. The brothers were born into a family of paper manufacturers in Annonay, in Ardèche, France. Their parents were Pierre Montgolfier (1700–1793) and his wife, Anne Duret (1701–1760), who had sixteen children. Pierre established his eldest son, Raymond Montgolfier, later Raymond de Montgolfier (1730–1772), as his successor.

Joseph, the 12th child, possessed a typical inventor's temperament — a maverick and dreamer, and impractical in terms of business and personal affairs. Étienne had a much more even and businesslike temperament. As the 15th child, and particularly troublesome to his elder siblings, he was sent to Paris to train as an architect. However, after the sudden and unexpected death of Raymond in 1772, he was recalled to Annonay to run the family business. In the subsequent 10 years, Étienne applied his talent for technical innovation to the family business; paper making was a high-tech industry in the 18th century. He succeeded in incorporating the latest Dutch innovations of the day into the family mills. His work led to recognition by the government of France as well as the awarding of a government grant to establish the Montgolfier factory as a model for other French paper makers. It was Joseph who first contemplated building machines. Gillispie puts it as early as 1777 when Joseph observed laundry drying over a fire incidentally form pockets that billowed upwards.

Joseph made his first definitive experiments in November 1782 while living in the city of Avignon. He reported, some years later, that he was watching a fire one evening while contemplating one of the great military issues of the day—an assault on the fortress of Gibraltar, which had proved impregnable by both sea and land. Joseph mused on the possibility of an air assault using troops lifted by the same force that was lifting the embers from the fire. He believed that contained within the smoke was a special gas, which he called Montgolfier Gas, with a special property he called levity. As a result of these musings, Joseph set about building a box-like chamber 1×1×1.3 m (3 ft by 3 ft (0.91 m) by 4 ft) out of very thin wood and covering the sides and top with lightweight taffeta cloth. He crumpled and lit some paper under the bottom of the box. The contraption quickly lifted off its stand and collided with the ceiling.

Joseph then recruited his brother to balloon building by writing the prophetic words, "Get in a supply of taffeta and of cordage, quickly, and you will see one of the most astonishing sights in the world." The two brothers then set about building a contraption three times larger in scale (27 times larger in volume). The lifting force was so great that they lost control of their craft on its very first test flight on 14 December 1782. The device floated nearly two kilometres (about 1.2 mi). It was destroyed after landing by the "indiscretion" of passersby. The brothers decided to make a public demonstration of a balloon in order to establish their claim to its invention. They constructed a globe-shaped balloon of sackcloth with three thin layers of paper inside. The envelope could contain nearly 790 m³ (28,000 cubic feet) of air and weighed 225 kg (500 lb). It was constructed of four pieces (the dome and three lateral bands) and held together by 1,800 buttons. A reinforcing fish net of cord covered the outside of the envelope.

On 4 June 1783, they flew this craft as their first public demonstration at Annonay in front of a group of dignitaries from the Etats particulars. Its flight covered 2 km (1.2 mi), lasted 10 minutes, and had an estimated altitude of 1,600-2,000 m (5,200-6,600 ft). Word of their success quickly reached Paris. Étienne went to the capital to make further demonstrations and to solidify the brothers' claim to the invention of flight. Joseph, given his unkempt appearance and shyness, remained with the family. Étienne was the epitome of sober virtues ... modest in clothes and manner... In collaboration with the successful wallpaper manufacturer Jean-Baptiste Réveillon, Étienne constructed a 37,500-cubic-foot (1,060 m3) envelope of taffeta coated with a varnish of alum (which has fireproofing properties). The balloon was sky blue and decorated with golden flourishes, signs of the zodiac, and suns. The design showed the intervention of Réveillon.

The next test was on the 11th of September from the grounds of la Folie Titon, close to the house of Réveillon. There was some concern about the effects of flight into the upper atmosphere on living creatures. The king proposed to launch two criminals, but it is most likely that the inventors decided to send a sheep, a duck, and a rooster aloft first. On 19 September 1783. the Aerostat Réveillon was flown with the first living beings in a basket attached to the balloon: a sheep called Montauciel ("Climb-to-the-sky"), a duck and a rooster. The sheep was believed to have a reasonable approximation of human physiology. The duck was expected to be unharmed by being lifted aloft. It was included as a control for effects created by the aircraft rather than the altitude. The rooster was included as a further control as it was a bird that did not fly at high altitudes. This demonstration was performed before a crowd at the royal palace in Versailles, before King Louis XVI of France and Queen Marie Antoinette.

The flight lasted approximately eight minutes, covered two miles (3 km), and obtained an altitude of about 1,500 feet (460 m). The craft landed safely after flying. With the successful demonstration at Versailles, and again in collaboration with Réveillon, Étienne started construction of a 60,000-cubic-foot (1,700 m3) balloon for the purpose of making flights with humans. The balloon was about seventy-five feet tall and about fifty feet in diameter. It had rich decorative touches supplied by Réveillon. The color scheme was gold figures on a deep blue background. Fleur-de-lis, signs of the zodiac, and suns with Louis XVI's face in the center interlaced with the royal monogram in the central section graced the majestic machine. Red and blue drapery and golden eagles were at the base of the balloon. It is fitting that Étienne Montgolfier was the first human to lift off the earth, making at least one tethered flight from the yard of the Réveillon workshop in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine. It was most likely on October 15, 1783.

A little while later on that same day, Jean Pilatre de Rozier became the second to ascend into the air, to an altitude of 80 feet, which was the length of the tether. On 21 November 1783, the first free flight by humans was made by Pilâtre, together with an army officer, the Marquis d'Arlandes. The flight began from the grounds of the Château de la Muette (close to the Bois de Boulogne (park)) in the western outskirts of Paris. They flew aloft about 3,000 feet (910 m) above Paris for a distance of nine kilometres. After 25 minutes, the machine landed between the windmills, outside the city ramparts, on the Butte-aux-Cailles. Enough fuel remained on board at the end of the flight to have allowed the balloon to fly four to five times as far. However, burning embers from the fire were scorching the balloon fabric and had to be daubed out with sponges. As it appeared it could destroy the balloon, Pilâtre took off his coat to stop the fire. The early flights made a sensation.

Numerous engravings commemorated the events. Chairs were designed with balloon backs, and mantel clocks were produced in enamel and gilt-bronze replicas set with a dial in the balloon. One could buy crockery decorated with naive pictures of balloons. In 1766, the British scientist Henry Cavendish had discovered hydrogen, by adding sulphuric acid to iron, tin, or zinc shavings. The development of gas balloons proceeded almost in parallel with the work of the Montgolfiers. This work was led by Jacques Charles and les Frères Robert (Anne-Jean Robert, and Nicolas-Louis Robert). On 27 August 1783, Le Globe, a hydrogen balloon, was launched from the Champ de Mars in Paris. Six thousand people paid for a seat. On December 1, Jacques Charles and Nicolas-Louis Robert flew La Charlière, the first manned hydrogen balloon, for 2 hour 5 minutes and covered 36 km. Jacques Charles immediately flew again, alone, and ascended to 3,000 metres. Work on each type of balloon was spurred on by the knowledge that there was a competing group and alternative technology.

For a variety of reasons, including the fact that the French government chose to put a proponent of hydrogen in charge of balloon development, hot air balloons were superseded by hydrogen balloons. Hydrogen balloons became the predominant technology for the next 180 years. Hydrogen balloons were used for all major ballooning accomplishments, such as the crossing of the English Channel on 7 January 1785 by the tireless aviators Jean-Pierre Blanchard and Dr. John Jeffries, from Boston. Some claim that the hot air balloon was invented some 74 years earlier by the Brazilian Portuguese priest Bartolomeu de Gusmão. A description of his invention was published in 1709 in Vienna, and another one that was lost was found in the Vatican (circa 1917). However, this claim is not generally recognized by aviation historians outside the Portuguese-speaking community, in particular the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.

See Also The Montgolfier Brothers 8/1/2010 The Montgolfier Brothers Joseph-Michel Montgolfier (26 August 1740 – 26 June 1810) and Jacques-Etienne Montgolfier (6 January 1745 – 2 August 1799) were the inventors of the montgolfière, globe airostatique or hot air balloon. The brothers succeeded in launching the first manned ascent to carry a young physician and an audacious army officer into the sky. Later, in December 1783 in recognition of their achievement, their father Pierre was elevated to the nobility and the hereditary appellation of de Montgolfier by King Louis XVI of France (the right to the title transfers automatically to his children). Early Years The brothers were born into a family of paper manufacturers in Annonay, in Ardèche, France. Their parents were Pierre Montgolfier (1700-1793), and his wife Anne Duret (1701-1760), who had sixteen children.

Pierre established his eldest son Raymond Montgolfier, later Raymond de Montgolfier (1730-1792) as his successor. Joseph Michel Montgolfier Joseph, the 12th child, possessed a typical inventor's temperament -- a maverick and dreamer, and impractical in terms of business and personal affairs. Etienne had a much more even and businesslike temperament than Joseph. As the 15th child he was sent to Paris to train as an architect. However, after the sudden and unexpected death of Raymond in 1772, he was recalled to Annonay to run the family business. In the subsequent 10 years, Etienne applied his talent for technical innovation to the family business; papermaking was a high-tech industry in the 18th century. He succeeded in incorporating the latest Dutch innovations of the day into the family mills. His work led to recognition by the government of France as well as the awarding of a government grant to establish the Montgolfier factory as a model for other French papermakers. Initial experiments Of the two brothers, it was Joseph who first contemplated building "machines".

Gillispie puts it as early as 1777 when Joseph observed laundry drying over a fire incidentally form pockets that billowed upwards. Joseph made his first definitive experiments in November of 1782 while living in Avignon. He reported, some years later, that he was watching a fire one evening while contemplating one of the great military issues of the day -- an assault on the fortress of Gibraltar, which had proved impregnable by both sea and land. Joseph mused on the possibility of an air assault using troops lifted by the same force that was lifting the embers from the fire. He believed that contained within the smoke was a special gas, which he called 'Montgolfier Gas', with a special property he called 'levity'. As a result of these musings, Joseph set about building a box-like chamber 1x1x1,3m (3 ft by 3 ft by 4 ft) out of very thin wood and covering the sides and top with lightweight taffeta cloth. Under the bottom of the box he crumpled and lit some paper. The contraption quickly lifted off its stand and collided with the ceiling.

Joseph then recruited his brother to balloon building by writing the prophetic words: "Get in a supply of taffeta and of cordage, quickly, and you will see one of the most astonishing sights in the world." The two brothers then set about building a contraption 3 times larger in scale (27 times larger in volume). The lifting force was so great that they lost control of their craft on its very first test flight on 14 December 1782. The device floated nearly 2 kilometres (about 1.2 mi). It was destroyed after landing by the "indiscretion" of passersby. Public demonstrations First public demonstration in Annonay, 1783-06-04.The brothers decided to make a public demonstration of a balloon in order to establish their claim to its invention. They constructed a globe-shaped balloon of sackcloth with three thin layers of paper inside. The envelope could contain nearly 790 m³ (28,000 cubic feet) of air and weighed 225 kg (500 lb). It was constructed of four pieces (the dome and three lateral bands), and held together by 1,800 buttons.

A reinforcing "fish net" of cord covered the outside of the envelope. On 4 June 1783, they flew this craft as their first public demonstration at Annonay in front of a group of dignitaries from the Etats particulars. Its flight covered 2 km (1.2 mi), lasted 10 minutes, and had an estimated altitude of 1.600 - 2.000m (5,200 - 6,600 ft). Word of their success quickly reached Paris. Etienne went to the capital to make further demonstrations and to solidify the brothers' claim to the invention of flight. Joseph, given his unkempt appearance and shyness, remained with the family. Etienne was the epithome of sober virtues ... modest in clothes and manner... He was dressed stylishly in black. A model of the Montgolfier brothers balloon at the London Science MuseumIn collaboration with the successful manufacturer, Jean-Baptiste Réveillon, Etienne constructed a 37,500 cubic foot envelope of taffeta coated with a varnish of alum. The balloon was sky blue and with golden flourishes, signs of the zodiac, suns.

The design was the influence of Réveillon, a wallpaper maker. The next test was on the 11th of September from the parc la Folie Titon, close to the house of Réveillon. There was some concern about the effects of flight into the upper atmosphere on living creatures. The king proposed to launch two criminals, but it is most likely that the inventors decided to send animals aloft first. On 19 September 1783 the Aerostat Réveillon was flown with the first living beings in a basket attached to the balloon: a sheep, called Montauciel (Climb-to-the-sky), a duck and a rooster. The sheep was believed to have a reasonable approximation of human physiology. The duck was expected to be unharmed by being lifted aloft. It was included as a control for effects created by the aircraft rather than the altitude. The rooster was included as a further control as it was a bird that did not fly at high altitudes. This demonstration was performed before a huge crowd at the royal palace in Versailles, before King Louis XVI of France and Queen Marie Antoinette.

The flight lasted approximately eight minutes, covered two miles, and obtained an altitude of about 1500 feet. The craft landed safely after flying. Human flight With the successful demonstration at Versailles, and again in collaboration with Réveillon, Etienne started construction of a 60,000 cubic foot balloon for the purpose of making flights with humans. The craft was 75 feet tall and 46 feet in diameter. The balloon was tested in tethered flights on 15 October by Pilâtre de Rozier, a twenty-six-year-old physician, who offered his services. On the 17 October the experiment was repeated before a group of scientists and 19 October Rozier and André Giroud de Villette, a wallpaper manufacturer from Madrid, reached 324 feet within 15 seconds along retaining ropes. On 21 November the first free flight by humans was made by Pilâtre, together with an army officer, the marquis d'Arlandes. The flight began from the grounds of the Château de la Muette (close to the Bois de Boulogne (park)) in the western outskirts of Paris.

They flew aloft about 3,000 feet above Paris for a distance of nine kilometres. After 25 minutes the machine landed between the windmills, outside the city ramparts, on the Butte-aux-Cailles. Enough fuel remained on board at the end of the flight to have allowed the balloon to fly four to five times as far. However, burning embers from the fire were scorching the balloon fabric and had to be daubed out with sponges. As it appeared it could destroy the balloon, Pilâtre took off his coat to stop the fire. The early flights made a sensation. Numerous engravings commemorated the events. Chairs were designed with balloon backs, and mantel clocks were produced in enamel and gilt-bronze replicas set with a dial in the balloon. One could buy crockery decorated with naive pictures of balloons. Sources: encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com balloons airships today the hot air balloon While some were dreaming of flying like a bird, others preferred to take it one step at a time and simply try to lift into the air.

The idea of using Archimedesï¿½ buoyancy principle to rise in the atmosphere by creating an object lighter than the air it displaces had been introduced in 1670 by a Jesuit priest, Father Francesco de Lana of Brescia, Italy. De Lana suggested (in print) that copper could be used to create spheres thin enough to be light- weight yet strong enough to be evacuated of all air, thereby making the total sphere lighter than the air the sphere displaced. The theory was sound, but producing sufficiently light spheres that would not collapse under the pressure of the air proved too difficult. In 1766, the British scientist Henry Cavendish discovered hydrogen gas (as the product of mixing iron, tin, zinc shavings, and sulfuric acid) and found it to be one-tenth the weight of air. This should have stirred someone to realize that hydrogen gas could be used to fill a balloon and the result would be a lighter-than-air object. Inexplicably, it did not, and the first balloons to fly were filled with hot air. Barthelmy-Laurent de Gusmanï¿½s flying boat, from a 1709 engraving.

The craft was to be kept aloft by magnets in the two globes fore and aft. How this was to be accomplished was never explained. Adding sulphuric acid to iron filings creates hydrogen, as illustrated by this eighteenth-century drawing. In the mid-1770s, Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier, brothers who worked in their fatherï¿½s paper factory in Annonay in South-Eastern France, noted that paper rose in the updrafts of the factoryï¿½s chimney, and occasionally a sheet would fold into a dome and continue rising even after leaving the immediate area of the chimney. They conducted some simple experiments with silk bags and soon became convinced that a large bag with heated air inside would rise. In actuality, this effect had already been demonstrated nearly seventy-five years earlier by the Brazilian priest C Bartolomeu de Guasmao, who conducted a spectacular demonstration in the court of King John V in Lisbon, Portugal. But the Montgolfiers knew nothing of this demonstration, and they knew little about the reason their balloon rose into the air.

They believed that the balloon was filled with a gas they called ï¿½Montgolfier gasï¿½ that had a special property they called ï¿½levity.ï¿½ They did not even associate heated air with Montgolfier gasï¿½they believed that the levity was contained in the smoke. Still, the Montgolfiers conducted their experiments and trials with care and learned much from each trial run. After experimenting with smaller models, they constructed a large balloon of linen covered with stiff paperï¿½prints of the time show a large blue ovoid, brightly decorated and held together with buttonsï¿½and conducted many trials, beginning on April 25, 1783 (the first known date), and culminating in a public demonstration in the town square of Annonay on June 5. Etienne was immediately summoned to Paris to address the Academy of Sciences about the brothersï¿½ invention.

Even before Etienne arrived, the French physicist Jacques Charles, mistakenly believing the Montgolfiers had used hydrogen in their ascent, hastily constructed a balloon of varnished silk, filled it with hydrogen (an expensive chemical procedure on such a large scale), and launched it from the Champs de Mars, Paris, on August 27. It rose through heavy rains that fell that day and was carried away by the storm to the village of Gonesse some fifteen miles (24km) away, where it finally came to rest. The superstitious peasants of the village, believing the balloon to be a monster that was attacking them from the sky, proceeded to rip it to shreds with scythes and pitchforks. The flight of the first ï¿½Charliere,ï¿½ as hydrogen-filled balloons were to be called for many years afterwards, had therefore been a qualified success. The Montgolfier brothers then built an even larger balloonï¿½some seventy feet (21m) highï¿½equipped with a circular gallery for the aeronauts.

Two adventurers, Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier and Francois Laurent, Marquis dï¿½Arandes, volunteered for the flight, which was prepared for and anticipated with the same nail-biting nervousness that characterized the first manned rocket launches of modern times. Tests were conducted with animals to determine what possible ill effects there might be on living beings, and then, beginning on October 15, tethered flights with humans were conducted from the courtyard of the Palace of Versailles. On November 21, the same pair made a free (un-tethered) flight in their Montgolfier, landing about ten miles (16km) away about twenty-three minutes after launching. That event is often considered the first time humankind flew. The Charles hydrogen balloon, which was launched on August 27, 1783, was ripped to shreds by the fearful townsmen of Gonesse On December 1, Charles and his associate, Nicolas Robert launched a new hydrogen balloon from the Tuileries Gardens.

They landed twenty-seven miles (43.5km) away after a flight of two hours, and except for the fact that the balloon took off again with Charles when Robert abruptly jumped out of the gondola after their first landing (only to land several miles away), filling a balloon with hydrogen was quickly seen as the superior method: it did not require constant attention to a heat source to warm the air (and anyway, the heat source was a smoky mess since the Montgolfiers refused to accept Charlesï¿½ instruction that it was merely the heated air that was carrying their craft aloft and not the smoke). The explosive nature of hydrogen was not to become important until years later, when very large volumes of hydrogen were placed in close proximity to flames and sparks. The throng that gathered to watch the historic flight of Montgolfierï¿½s crewed balloon on November21 was less superstitious. The French wasted no time exploiting the new technology. Eleven years later, in Franceï¿½s war with Austria, tethered balloons were used in the siege of Mainz and were decisive at the Battle of Fleurus.

The captain of the Company of Aerostiers was a man named Coutelle, a shadowy figure who was ridiculed for espousing the use of balloons on the battlefield. After Franceï¿½s victory, he became a national hero. De Lana had foreseen the possible military uses of his flying evacuated copper globes, and feared flight for ï¿½the disturbance it would cause to the civil government of men.ï¿½ It took more than a century, but his words proved prophetic. Your browser does not support inline frames or is currently configured not to display inline frames. Montgolfier Brothers Montgolfier Brothers AVIATION QUOTES 6th Jan, 2017 I mean, I had fast motor cars and fast motor bikes, and when I wasn't crashing airplanes, I was crashing motor bikes. It's all part of the game.

ï¿½ Sir Harry Broadhurst Quote, RAF, 12 victories WW II RESOURCES Born: 26 August 1740(1740-08-26) Annonay, Ardxï¿½che, France Died: 26 June 1810(1810-06-26) (aged 69) unknown Occupation: inventor Spouse: None Joseph-Michel Montgolfier (26 August 1740 - 26 June 1810) and Jacques-xï¿½tienne Montgolfier (6 January 1745 - 2 August 1799) were the inventors of the montgolfixï¿½re-style hot air balloon, globe aï¿½rostatique. The brothers succeeded in launching the first manned ascent, carrying xï¿½tienne into the sky. Later, in December 1783, in recognition of their achievement, their father Pierre was elevated to the nobility and the hereditary appellation of de Montgolfier by King Louis XVI of France.

Early years The brothers were born into a family of paper manufacturers in Annonay, in Ardxï¿½che, France. Their parents were Pierre Montgolfier (1700-1793) and his wife, Anne Duret (1701-1760), who had sixteen children. Pierre established his eldest son, Raymond Montgolfier, later Raymond de Montgolfier (1730-1772), as his successor. Joseph, the 12th child, possessed a typical inventor's temperament-a maverick and dreamer, and impractical in terms of business and personal affairs. xï¿½tienne had a much more even and businesslike temperament. As the 15th child, and particularly troublesome to his elder siblings, he was sent to Paris to train as an architect. However, after the sudden and unexpected death of Raymond in 1772, he was recalled to Annonay to run the family business. In the subsequent 10 years, xï¿½tienne applied his talent for technical innovation to the family business; paper making was a high-tech industry in the 18th century.

He succeeded in incorporating the latest Dutch innovations of the day into the family mills. His work led to recognition by the government of France as well as the awarding of a government grant to establish the Montgolfier factory as a model for other French paper makers. Initial experiments Of the two brothers, it was Joseph who first contemplated building machines. Gillispie puts it as early as 1777 when Joseph observed laundry drying over a fire incidentally form pockets that billowed upwards. Joseph made his first definitive experiments in November 1782 while living in the city of Avignon. He reported, some years later, that he was watching a fire one evening while contemplating one of the great military issues of the day-an assault on the fortress of Gibraltar, which had proved impregnable by both sea and land. Joseph mused on the possibility of an air assault using troops lifted by the same force that was lifting the embers from the fire. He believed that contained within the smoke was a special gas, which he called Montgolfier Gas, with a special property he called levity.

As a result of these musings, Joseph set about building a box-like chamber 1xï¿½1xï¿½1.3 m (3 ft by 3 ft (0.91 m) by 4 ft) out of very thin wood and covering the sides and top with lightweight taffeta cloth. He crumpled and lit some paper under the bottom of the box. The contraption quickly lifted off its stand and collided with the ceiling. Joseph then recruited his brother to balloon building by writing the prophetic words, "Get in a supply of taffeta and of cordage, quickly, and you will see one of the most astonishing sights in the world." The two brothers then set about building a contraption three times larger in scale (27 times larger in volume). The lifting force was so great that they lost control of their craft on its very first test flight on 14 December 1782. The device floated nearly two kilometers (about 1.2 mi). It was destroyed after landing by the "indiscretion" of passersby.

Public demonstrations Picture - First public demonstration in Annonay, 1783-06-04 The brothers decided to make a public demonstration of a balloon in order to establish their claim to its invention. They constructed a globe-shaped balloon of sackcloth with three thin layers of paper inside. The envelope could contain nearly 790 mï¿½ (28,000 cubic feet) of air and weighed 225 kg (500 lb). It was constructed of four pieces (the dome and three lateral bands) and held together by 1,800 buttons. A reinforcing fish net of cord covered the outside of the envelope. On 4 June 1783, they flew this craft as their first public demonstration at Annonay in front of a group of dignitaries from the Etats particulars. Its flight covered 2 km (1.2 mi), lasted 10 minutes, and had an estimated altitude of 1,600-2,000 m (5,200-6,600 ft). Word of their success quickly reached Paris.

xï¿½tienne went to the capital to make further demonstrations and to solidify the brothers' claim to the invention of flight. Joseph, given his unkempt appearance and shyness, remained with the family. xï¿½tienne was the epitome of sober virtues ... modest in clothes and manner... Picture - A model of the Montgolfier brothers' balloon at the London Science Museum In collaboration with the successful wallpaper manufacturer Jean-Baptiste Rï¿½veillon, xï¿½tienne constructed a 37,500-cubic-foot (1,060 m) envelope of taffeta coated with a varnish of alum (which has fireproofing properties). The balloon was sky blue and decorated with golden flourishes, signs of the zodiac, and suns. The design showed the intervention of Rï¿½veillon. The next test was on the 11th of September from the grounds of la Folie Titon, close to the house of Rï¿½veillon. There was some concern about the effects of flight into the upper atmosphere on living creatures.

The king proposed to launch two criminals, but it is most likely that the inventors decided to send a sheep, a duck, and a rooster aloft first. On 19 September 1783. the Aerostat Rï¿½veillon was flown with the first living beings in a basket attached to the balloon: a sheep called Montauciel ("Climb-to-the-sky"), a duck and a rooster. The sheep was believed to have a reasonable approximation of human physiology. The duck was expected to be unharmed by being lifted aloft. It was included as a control for effects created by the aircraft rather than the altitude. The rooster was included as a further control as it was a bird that did not fly at high altitudes. This demonstration was performed before a crowd at the royal palace in Versailles, before King Louis XVI of France and Queen Marie Antoinette. The flight lasted approximately eight minutes, covered two miles (3 km), and obtained an altitude of about 1,500 feet (460 m). The craft landed safely after flying. Human flight Picture - A 1786 depiction of the Montgolfier brothers' historic balloon with engineering data.

Details are available in translation on the image hosting page. With the successful demonstration at Versailles, and again in collaboration with Rï¿½veillon, xï¿½tienne started construction of a 60,000-cubic-foot (1,700 m) balloon for the purpose of making flights with humans. The balloon was about seventy-five feet tall and about fifty feet in diameter. It had rich decorative touches supplied by Rï¿½veillon. The color scheme was gold figures on a deep blue background. Fleur-de-lis, signs of the zodiac, and suns with Louis XVI's face in the center interlaced with the royal monogram in the central section graced the majestic machine. Red and blue drapery and golden eagles were at the base of the balloon. It is fitting that xï¿½tienne Montgolfier was the first human to lift off the earth, making at least one tethered flight from the yard of the Rï¿½veillon workshop in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine. It was most likely on October 15, 1783.

A little while later on that same day, Pilatre de Rozier became the second to ascend into the air, to an altitude of 80 feet (24 m), which was the length of the tether. On 21 November 1783, the first free flight by humans was made by Pilxï¿½tre, together with an army officer, the marquis d'Arlandes. The flight began from the grounds of the Chxï¿½teau de la Muette (close to the Bois de Boulogne (park)) in the western outskirts of Paris. They flew aloft about 3,000 feet (910 m) above Paris for a distance of nine kilometres. After 25 minutes, the machine landed between the windmills, outside the city ramparts, on the Butte-aux-Cailles. Enough fuel remained on board at the end of the flight to have allowed the balloon to fly four to five times as far. However, burning embers from the fire were scorching the balloon fabric and had to be daubed out with sponges.

As it appeared it could destroy the balloon, Pilxï¿½tre took off his coat to stop the fire. The early flights made a sensation. Numerous engravings commemorated the events. Chairs were designed with balloon backs, and mantel clocks were produced in enamel and gilt-bronze replicas set with a dial in the balloon. One could buy crockery decorated with naive pictures of balloons. Following launches Picture - Manuscript of Montgolfier describing his invention, 1784 In 1766, the British scientist Henry Cavendish had discovered hydrogen, by adding sulphuric acid to iron, tin, or zinc shavings. The development of gas balloons proceeded almost in parallel with the work of the Montgolfiers. This work was led by Jacques Charles and les Frxï¿½res Robert (Anne-Jean Robert, and Nicolas-Louis Robert). On 27 August 1783, Le Globe, a hydrogen balloon, was launched from the Champ de Mars in Paris. Six thousand people paid for a seat.

On December 1, Jacques Charles and Nicolas-Louis Robert flew La Charlixï¿½re, the first manned hydrogen balloon, for 2 hour 5 minutes and covered 36 km. Jacques Charles immediately flew again, alone, and ascended to 3,000 metres. Work on each type of balloon was spurred on by the knowledge that there was a competing group and alternative technology. For a variety of reasons, including the fact that the French government chose to put a proponent of hydrogen in charge of balloon development, hot air balloons were superseded by hydrogen balloons. Hydrogen balloons became the predominant technology for the next 180 years. Hydrogen balloons were used for all major ballooning accomplishments, such as the crossing of the English Channel on 7 January 1785 by the tireless aviators Jean-Pierre Blanchard and Dr. John Jeffries, from Boston. Competing claims Some claim that the hot air balloon was invented some 74 years earlier by the Brazilian Portuguese priest Bartolomeu de Gusmxï¿½o.

A description of his invention was published in 1709 in Vienna, and another one that was lost was found in the Vatican (circa 1917). However, this claim is not generally recognized by aviation historians outside the Portuguese-speaking community, in particular the Fï¿½dï¿½ration Aï¿½ronautique Internationale. List of firsts in aviation history of balloon flying balloon FAQs history of balloon flying While some were dreaming of flying like a bird, others preferred to take it one step at a time and simply try to lift into the air. The idea of using Archimedesï¿½ buoyancy principle to rise in the atmosphere by creating an object lighter than the air it displaces had been introduced in 1670 by a Jesuit priest, Father Francesco de Lana of Brescia, Italy. De Lana suggested (in print) that copper could be used to create spheres thin enough to be light- weight yet strong enough to be evacuated of all air, thereby making the total sphere lighter than the air the sphere displaced. The theory was sound, but producing sufficiently light spheres that would not collapse under the pressure of the air proved too difficult.

In 1766, the British scientist Henry Cavendish discovered hydrogen gas (as the product of mixing iron, tin, zinc shavings, and sulphuric acid) and found it to be one-tenth the weight of air. This should have stirred someone to realize that hydrogen gas could be used to fill a balloon and the result would be a lighter-than-air object. Inexplicably, it did not, and the first balloons to fly were filled with hot air. Barthelmy-Laurent de Gusmanï¿½s flying boat, from a 1709 engraving. The craft was to be kept aloft by magnets in the two globes fore and aft. How this was to be accomplished was never explained. Adding sulfuric acid to iron filings creates hydrogen, as illustrated by this eighteenth-century drawing. In the mid-1770s, Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier, brothers who worked in their fatherï¿½s paper factory in Annonay in southeastern France, noted that paper rose in the updrafts of the factoryï¿½s chimney, and occasionally a sheet would fold into a dome and continue rising even after leaving the immediate area of the chimney.

They conducted some simple experiments with silk bags and soon became convinced that a large bag with heated air inside would rise. In actuality, this effect had already been demonstrated nearly seventy-five years earlier by the Brazilian priest C Bartolomeu de Guasmao, who conducted a spectacular demonstration in the court of King John V in Lisbon, Portugal. But the Montgolfiers knew nothing of this demonstration, and they knew little about the reason their balloon rose into the air. They believed that the balloon was filled with a gas they called ï¿½Montgolfier gasï¿½ that had a special property they called ï¿½levity.ï¿½ They did not even associate heated air with Montgolfier gasï¿½they believed that the levity was contained in the smoke. Still, the Montgolfiers conducted their experiments and trials with care and learned much from each trial run.

After experimenting with smaller models, they constructed a large balloon of linen covered with stiff paperï¿½prints of the time show a large blue ovoid, brightly decorated and held together with buttonsï¿½and conducted many trials, beginning on April 25, 1783 (the first known date), and culminating in a public demonstration in the town square of Annonay on June 5. Etienne was immediately summoned to Paris to address the Academy of Sciences about the brothersï¿½ invention. Even before Etienne arrived, the French physicist Jacques Charles, mistakenly believing the Montgolfiers had used hydrogen in their ascent, hastily constructed a balloon of varnished silk, filled it with hydrogen (an expensive chemical procedure on such a large scale), and launched it from the Champs de Mars, Paris, on August 27. It rose through heavy rains that fell that day and was carried away by the storm to the village of Gonesse some fifteen miles (24km) away, where it finally came to rest. The superstitious peasants of the village, believing the balloon to be a monster that was attacking them from the sky, proceeded to rip it to shreds with scythes and pitchforks.

The flight of the first ï¿½Charliere,ï¿½ as hydrogen-filled balloons were to be called for many years afterwards, had therefore been a qualified success. The Montgolfier brothers then built an even larger balloonï¿½some seventy feet (21m) highï¿½equipped with a circular gallery for the aeronauts. Two adventurers, Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier and Francois Laurent, Marquis dï¿½Arandes, volunteered for the flight, which was prepared for and anticipated with the same nail-biting nervousness that characterized the first manned rocket launches of modern times. Tests were conducted with animals to determine what possible ill effects there might be on living beings, and then, beginning on October 15, tethered flights with humans were conducted from the courtyard of the Palace of Versailles. On November 21, the same pair made a free (untethered) flight in their Montgolfier, landing about ten miles (16km) away about twenty-three minutes after launching. That event is often considered the first time humankind flew. On December 1, Charles and his associate, Nicolas Robert launched a new hydrogen balloon from the Tuileries Gardens.

They landed twenty-seven miles (43.5km) away after a flight of two hours, and except for the fact that the balloon took off again with Charles when Robert abruptly jumped out of the gondola after their first landing (only to land several miles away), filling a balloon with hydrogen was quickly seen as the superior method: it did not require constant attention to a heat source to warm the air (and anyway, the heat source was a smoky mess since the Montgolfiers refused to accept Charlesï¿½ instruction that it was merely the heated air that was carrying their craft aloft and not the smoke). The explosive nature of hydrogen was not to become important until years later, when very large volumes of hydrogen were placed in close proximity to flames and sparks. above: The Charles hydrogen balloon, which was launched on August 27, 1783, was ripped to shreds by the fearful townsmen of Gonesse, above: The throng that gathered to watch the historic flight of Montgolfierï¿½s crewed balloon on November21 was less superstitious. The French wasted no time exploiting the new technology.

Eleven years later, in Franceï¿½s war with Austria, tethered balloons were used in the siege of Mainz and were decisive at the Battle of Fleurus. The captain of the Company of Aerostiers was a man named Coutelle, a shadowy figure who was ridiculed for espousing the use of balloons on the battlefield. After Franceï¿½s victory, he became a national hero. De Lana had foreseen the possible military uses of his flying evacuated copper globes, and feared flight for ï¿½the disturbance it would cause to the civil government of men.ï¿½ It took more than a century, but his words proved prophetic.

Question: In which century did the Montgolfier brothers succeed in launching the first manned ascent in a hot-air balloon?
Answer: 18th Century